We’ve been following a number of high-profile stories involving Amish the past few weeks and months.  There have recently been some updates I wanted to pass along to you:

Ohio Amish shooting

As of last week, officials were waiting for results of ballistics testing in the Ohio Amish shooting case.  However they are confident the bullet which killed Rachel Yoder was that fired by a hunter cleaning his gun.

Holmes County Sherriff’s Office Chief Deputy Nathan Fritz points out that “‘There is a misperception that the modern muzzleloader is the same muzzleloader used in the olden days of Davy Crockett. The modern muzzleloader is every bit as accurate as a modern center fire rifle.'”

Fritz explained to the Wooster Daily Record that “it it is well within the capability of the muzzleloader and its projectile to shoot a distance of more than a mile.”

The case is certainly not closed for the shooter.  From the article: “while the shooter may not have intended to kill Yoder, his practices were not safe, and upon its completion, the case will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office for consideration of criminal charges.”

Rachel Yoder was memorialized in a piece in the same paper, with family members remembering her warmly.  The article also notes the relationship between Rachel’s family and the shooter:

“They actually know the shooter and his family, which had experienced their own tragic loss recently, one which the Yoder family said they’re joined with them in grief. It was hard to talk to them, they said, adding, they tried to comfort them. They feel God guided the bullet. And say they hold no grudges and they have found forgiveness in their hearts.”

Read the rest here.

Kentucky Amish SMV triangles

orange smv safety triangleKentucky Amish SMV triangle problems continue.  Another Swartzentruber Amishman has been fined.  Ananias Byler has refused to pay a $489 penalty for failing to display the orange safety triangle.  Other Kentucky Amish were jailed last year for the same offense.  Byler’s deadline is Thursday.

The Kentucky Supreme Court has agreed to take up the Swartzentruber SMV issue, which could occur early this year.

Horse abuse

Not an update exactly, but another instance of Amish having horse problems.  Last month we discussed the overheated Amish horse case in Pennsylvania.  Now an Amish teen has abandoned a horse at the Wal-Mart in Middlefield, Ohio (the Geauga County Amish community).

Back in November, the youth apparently removed the horse from his buggy, tied it to a rail, and left.  Now the humane society is attempting to find it a new home.

Beard attacks

The 12 men accused of hair-cutting attacks on Ohio Amish will be arraigned in federal court next Wednesday.  Five of them had been released, while the remaining seven have stayed in jail since late November, including leader Sam Mullett.

As noted in this update (no longer online), Mullett maintains that he is not a danger and should be freed as he awaits trial.

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